What does "consolation" mean?

1. (comfort) the comfort you feel when someone is kind to you after something bad happens. 2. (a small prize or benefit) a small prize or benefit given to someone who has lost a competition.

consolation

US //ˌkɑnsəˈɫeɪʃən// UK //kɒnsəlˈeɪʃən// con·so·la·tion

1 comfort (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the comfort you feel when someone is kind to you after something bad happens.

the state of being consoled or the act of providing emotional comfort during a period of grief or disappointment.

Example

It was a great consolation to know that all her friends were there to support her.

Example

The letters of sympathy from former colleagues provided a small measure of consolation during his long recovery from the accident.
- distress
- misery
2 a small prize or benefit (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

a small prize or benefit given to someone who has lost a competition.

a prize or advantage awarded to a runner-up or loser as a gesture of recognition.

Example

He didn't win the tournament, but he received a medal as a consolation.

Example

The team took home the bronze medal as a consolation after their disappointing defeat in the semi-finals.
- booby prize

Origin

From Old French consolacion (French consolatio), from Latin cōnsōlātiō, from the deponent verb cōnsōlor (“I console, encourage”) with the -tiō suffix, while cōnsōlor comprises the intensifying prefix con- with the deponent verb sōlor (“I comfort, console”). Equivalent to console + -ation. Doublet of consolatio.